NEW DELHI: India’s Asia Cup 2025 victory over Pakistan in Dubai ended in dramatic fashion, with captain Suryakumar Yadav alleging that Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi “ran away with the trophy” after the Indian team refused to accept it from him.India clinched the final by five wickets, with Tilak Varma’s composed half-century sealing a thrilling win. But celebrations took a bizarre turn when the presentation ceremony descended into chaos.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
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Suryakumar clarified the team’s stance, emphasising that it was a collective decision not to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and Pakistan’s interior minister.“I think this is one thing which I have never seen since I started playing and following cricket — that a champion team is denied a trophy. I mean that too a hard-earned one. We have been here since September 4, we played a game today, two back-to-back good games in two days. I feel we deserved it,” he said in reply to PTI’s query.
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A video that surfaced online showed an official removing the trophy after Naqvi walked away, while Pakistan players’ late arrival further delayed the ceremony. Eventually, runners-up medals were distributed to Pakistan players, and India celebrated without the silverware in hand.WATCH: An official taking away the trophy Surya, while speaking to ANI, also offered a heart-warming perspective on what he considers the real rewards of victory: “I won’t call it controversy. The real trophy is when you win the hearts of people, the players, the trust you earn, the support staff, the work of so many people on the field. My trophies are sitting in my dressing room — all 14 guys with me, all the support staff. Those are the real trophies. These are the moments I’m taking back as lovely memories which will stay with me forever.”The skipper also later posted on ‘X’: “When the game is done, only the champions will be remembered and not the picture of a trophy.”BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the board will file a formal complaint against Naqvi’s actions, calling the incident “unprecedented and unacceptable.”While the team’s on-field brilliance earned India their ninth Asia Cup crown, the final will be remembered as much for the off-field theatrics as for the thrilling cricketing display.
